Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has called on his young side to “grow up” after striker Liam Delap’s red card nearly turned a comfortable 3-0 lead into chaos during their Carabao Cup victory over Wolves. The incident overshadowed a thrilling encounter that ended with Chelsea advancing to the quarter-finals, where they will face Cardiff.
Chelsea dominated the first half with a blend of flair and intensity. Goals from Andrey Santos, Tyrique George, Estêvão, and Jamie Gittens put them in control before halftime. However, Wolves, languishing at the bottom of the Premier League table, fought back valiantly after the break, showing resilience and spirit that briefly unsettled their visitors.
Substitute Liam Delap, returning from a two-month injury layoff, was sent off late in the match after receiving two yellow cards in seven minutes — first for shoving Yerson Mosquera, then for a reckless challenge on Emmanuel Agbadou. His dismissal left Chelsea vulnerable as Wolves mounted a late surge through Tolu Arokodare and David Møller Wolfe, who scored twice to reduce the deficit.
Maresca expressed frustration over the lack of discipline within his squad, noting that Chelsea have now received six red cards in their last nine games. “It’s embarrassing to see a red card like that,” he said, stressing that Delap ignored multiple warnings to calm down. “This team needs to mature and manage situations better.”
Despite the nervy ending, Chelsea’s attacking play once again highlighted their quality and potential. Estêvão’s exquisite chip over goalkeeper José Sà was the standout moment of the night, underscoring the Brazilian’s rising influence in Maresca’s system.
For Wolves, there were signs of encouragement despite the defeat. Head coach Vítor Pereira praised his players’ determination, saying the second-half fightback showed they have the character to turn their season around.
Chelsea now shift focus to their upcoming Premier League clash with Tottenham, where they will be without Delap. Maresca will hope his young team learns from this dramatic encounter and finds the consistency needed to maintain their momentum across competitions.
